Beverage measuring and dispensing device



Oct.` l, 1940. R.' E. HUMBARD 2,216,347

BEVERAGE MEASURING ANDDISPENSING DEVICE `original Filednec. s. 1936rfaP/Vfx Patented Oa. 1, 1arte PATENTV OFFICE BEVERAG MEASURING ANDDISENSING DEVICE Robert Lee Humbard, Palm Springs, Calif., assignor byorder of court to Anne Humbard, widow of said Robert Lee Humbard,deceased Application December 3, 1936, Serial No. 114,025 Renewed March7, 1940 7 Claims.

This invention rela-tes to dispensing devices,

and has for an object the provision of a device adapted to be mountedupon the mouth of a bottle, and provided with means for measuring lacl"I rrately and dispensing predetermined4 quantitles of the liquidcontents of the bottle. The

device oi' the present invention constitutes an A further object is toprovide a measuring and' dispensing device as described, having improvedmeans for attaching it in operative relation upon 20 a receptacle,whereby it can be used upon a much wider range of sizes of receptacles.its' attachment is greatly facilitated and made more positive. and thespeed of operation of the device is very greatly increased.

25 A still further object of the present invention is to design thedispensing device in such a manner that all the inner working parts canreadily be removed, thus permitting free access to the interior ofthemeasuring portion of the device',

30 as well as to the valves. stem, and other working parts, thus makingit possible to cleanse the entire device and to keep it in a thoroughlysanitary condition. This feature also reduces the cost of manufacture byreducing the amount of time and a5 labor required for its assembly.Another object is to provide an improved design of -operating handle,whereby the device is made to fit the hand morecomfortably, orto operatemore smoothly and much more easily.

u The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, someof which, with the foregoing, willbe set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of my invention which 5 is illustratedin thedrawing accompanying and forming a partofthe specification. It isto be understood that I -do not limit myself to the any suitablematerial, preferably glass.

the upper end of a bottle upon which it is mounted in operativerelation.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1. but with the valve assemblyremoved.

Figure 3 is aview in side elevation of the valve 5 assembly ready forinstallation in the receptacle shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2,with the direction of view as indicated.

That form of my invention which has been chosen for illustrationcomprises a receptacle Il of known volumetric capacity, preferably inthe neighborhood of 1 oz. or 11A oz., and composed of Openl5 ings I2 andI3 are provided in the upper and lower ends respectively of thereceptacle Il, and preferably a short tubular extension or rim Ilencircles the upper opening I2 to provide aspouring spout. An annularflange I6 extends inwards 20 from the lower end of the receptacle I I.

The means for releasably attaching the measuring and dispensing deviceof the present in- 'vention to the receptacle the contents of which areto be measured and dispensed comprises a sleeve I1 of resilientmaterial, preferably rubber. Instead of being in the form of a plugintended to be thrust into the mouth of a bottle, as in the case of thedevice forming the subject matter of my prior patent, identifiedhereinabove, `the 30 sleeve I1 is adapted to t over the mouth I8 andupper portion of the neck I8 of a bottle, as clearly shown upon Figs. 1and 2. An annular groove 2l is provided in the outer wall of the sleevel1 adjacent its upper end, this groove 2l being adapted to receivethe'flange I'B of the receptacle .Ll and thus securely fasten thereceptacle Il and thesjleeve I T together in operative relation. vThesleeve I1 `being resilient, its upper end is collapsible, thus` makingit possible to slip the upper end of theV sleeve l1 intdthe lower end ofthe receptacle ll, past the flange IBuntil the I flange and groove comeinto registry with each other, whereupon the sleeve l1 is permitted tcexpand, seating the flange within the groove 2|. 45 inadvertentdisplacement from this engagement is prevented through the expedient ofa tubular guide26 which is adapted to be inserted into the upper endofthe bore'Zl of the sleeve I'I after theflange I6 vhas been seated inthe groove 2l. 50 A spider 28 extends across the lower end of thetubular guide 26.and carries a suitable bearing 29 which is disposedaxially with respect to the guide 26 to receive and guidelthe lawyer endof a valve stem 3 I. 55

The valve assembly indicated in its entirety at 32 comprises the stem 3|carrying upper and lower valves 33 and 34 respectively, held in spacedrelationship preferably by a tube 36 interposed between the two valves.Each of these valves 33 is in the form of a disc of relatively thinexible and resilient -material, preferably rubber, disposed with itsplane perpendicular to the axis of the stem 3|. Each valve 33, 34 isembraced between two metal discs 31, 38 of materially less diameter thanthe valves themselves. The tube 36 is of such length that the spacingbetween the valves 33 and 34 is slightly less than that between theupper and lower valve seats 4I and 42 respectively. The upper valve seat4| is'provided by a substantially frustoconically shaped portion of thereceptacle II just inside the tubular pouring spout I4, whereas thelower valve seat 42 is provided by the upper end of the sleeve I1 andthe upper end of the tubular guide 26.

Whereas each of the valves 33 and 34 is of sufficient diameter to engageits associated seat 4|, 42 respectively, in sealing engagement, theldiscs 31 and 38 are suiiiciently smaller than the upper opening I2 topermit the valves to be bent around their peripheral edges substantiallyas indicated at the upper portion of Fig. 1, so that by exertingsufficient pressure against the lower end of the valve stem 3| theentire valve assembly 32 can be removed from the receptacle II throughthe upper opening I2. This greatly facilitates cleansing the entiredevice and makes it entirely possible to keep it in an entirely sanitarycondition. This feature also reduces the cost of manufacture of thedevice by reducing the amount of time and labor required in itsconstruction, because the valve assembly 32 can be assembledindependently of the receptacle II and sleeve I1 and inserted thereinafterwards as a complete unit.

A coil spring 46a encircles the stem 3| below the lower valve 34, hencewhenthe device is assembled in operative relation the spring 46a isunder compression between the spider 28 of the bearing 29 carriedthereby and the lower disc 38 associated with the valve /34. It isapparent, therefore, that the spring 46a continually urges the valveassembly upwards to bring the upper valve 33 into sealing engagementwith its associated seat 4I. As shown upon Fig. 1, when the valveassembly 32 is in this position, the lower valve 34 is raised from itsseat 42 permitting communication between the interior of the receptacleI9 upon which the device is mounted and the interior of the measuringreceptacle II. Hence, when the bottle I9 or otherreceptacle, thecontents of which are to be dispensed, having a measuring and dispensingdevice of my invention mounted thereupon, is inverted, a quantity of thecontents of the bottle I9, determined by the volumetric capacity of themeasuring dispenser II, will flow into the receptacle I I. Then, bymovement of the valve assembly 32 to its alternate position whereintheupper valve 33 is unseated and the valve 34 is seated, that measuredquantity of the liquid will be permitted to iiow through the pouringspout I4.

Simply by releasing the valve assembly 32 it will be returned to itsinitial position, again seating the valve 33 and unseating the valve 34,whereupon the same quantity of liquid will again be measured into thereceptacle II, which may then be releasedy by the same movement of thevalve assembly 32. One of the advantages of using the sleeve I1, adaptedto engage over the .outside of the neck I9 of a bottle, instead of aplug adapted to be thrust into the neck of a bottle, as in the case ofmy prior device, the speed of operation of the measuring dispenser isgreatly increased because of the fact that that opening I3 is of greatlyincreased size. Similarly the outlet opening I2 is also larger, ithaving been made large enough to permit the entire valve assembly 32 tobe thrust therethrough, as described hereinabove.

Operation of the device is effected by means of a handle 45 extendingfrom the upper end of the valve stem 3| upwards through the outletopening I2 far enough to clear the upper end of the pouring spout I4.Preferably this handle 46 is formed integral with the uppermost disc 31,which is retained against slipping off the stem 3| by means of asuitable abutmentV thereon, such as a head formed integral with thestem. From this position the handle 46 extends downward along theoutside of the receptacle II, its lower end 41 being deiiected outwardto provide a convenient and comfortable finger grip whereby movement ofthe valve assembly 32 can be moved with the greatest ease by the firstfinger of the hand in which the bottle I9 is held.

I claim:

1. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an opening at each end,means providing a valve seat encircling each of said openings, a valvestem reciprocable within said receptacle, a handle carried by said stemand extending through the upper of said openings and thence exteriorlyof said receptacle along a side thereof and being guided forreciprocatory movement upon said Side, and a valve associated with eachof said seats and carried by said stem, said valves being spacedv fromeach other a distance less than that between said seats whereby eithervalve can be engaged with its seat and the other valve disengaged fromits seat, each of said valves comprising a resilient member engageablein sealing contact with its associated seat and deformable to diametersuiiciently small to permit its passage through said upper openingwhereby said stem, valves and handle can be removed from saidreceptacle.

2. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an opening at each end,means providing a valve seat encircling each of said openings, a valvestem reciprocable within said receptacle, a handle carried by said stemand extending through the upper of said openings and thence exteriorlyof said receptacle along a side thereof and being guided forreciprocatory movement upon said side, and a valve associated with eachof said seats and carried by said stem, said valves being spaced fromeach other a distance less than that between said seats whereby eithervalve can be engaged with its seat and the other valve disengaged fromits seat, each of said valves comprising a. resilient member normally ofgreater diameter than said upper opening, said valves and stem normallybeing retained within said receptacle by engagement between the upper ofsaid valves with its associated seat, and both of said valves beingdeformable to a diameter sufficiently small to permit their passagethrough said upper opening whereby said stem and valves can be removedfrom said receptacle.

3. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an opening at each end, anannular flange encircling the opening in the lower end of saidreceptacle, a sleeve having its upper end extending into said loweropening,` said sleeve being of resilient, ilexible material anddeformable to permit engagement of its lower end upon containers ofvarious sizes, and said sleeve having an annular groove in one facethereof, said iiange being seated within said annular groove,non-resilient means engaging the opposite face of said sleeve to retainsaid sleeve in engagement with said flange, a valve seat encircling eachof said openings, a valve asso,- ciated with each of said seats, andmeans for moving either of said valves optionally into sealingengagement with its associated seat and the other valve out ofengagement with its associated seat.

4. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having an opening at each end, anannular flange encircling the opening in the lower end 'of saidreceptacle, a sleeve having its upper end extending into said loweropening. said sleeve being of resilient, flexible material andldeformable to permit engagement of its lower end upon containers ofvarious sizes, and said sleeve having an annular groove in one facethereof,- said flange being seated within saidannular groove,non-resilient means engag-` ing the opposite face of said sleeve toretain said sleeve in engagement with said flange, means on saidreceptacle providing a valve seat encircling the-opening in the' upperend of said receptacle,

21ml :nscarri-ed bysald non-resilient means provid- 30 ing a lower valveseat, a valve associated with each of said seats. andmeans for movingeither of said valves optionally 'into sealing engagement with theassociated" seat and the other valve out of engagement with itsassociated seat.

` 5. In a liquid"dispenser, a receptacle having a pair of"opposed`openings, a valve stem reciprocabie within said receptacle. a valveassociated with each of 'said openings and carried by said stem `withinsaid receptacle, said valves being spaced apart a" distance lessthanthat between said openings whereby either valve optionally can bemoved into closing relationship with its assoelated opening as the otheris moved out of closing relationship with its associated opening, eachof said valves being larger "than its associated opening whereby it isadapted to engage said receptacle around that opening when in closingrelationship therewith, and each of said valves being o1' resilient,deformable material adapting them for removal from said receptaclethrough one,of said openings, and means accessible outside saidreceptacle for moving said stem.

, 6. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle havinga pair voi? opposedopenings, a valve stem reciprocable Within said receptacle, a valveassociated with each of said openings and carried by said stem withinsaid receptacle, each of said valves comprising a disc larger indiameter than the associated opening whereby it isadapted to engage saidreceptacle around that opening when in closing relationship therewith,andl each of said valves being of flexible, resilient material adaptingit `for removal from said receptacle through one of said openings, saidvalves being spaced apart a distance less than that between saidopenings whereby either valve optionally can be moved into closingrelationship with its associated opening as the other is moved out ofclosing relationship with its associated opening, and means accessibleoutside said receptacle for moving said stem. I

'7. In a liquid dispenser, a receptacle having a pair of opposedopenings, a valve stem reciprocable Within said receptacle, a valveassociated with each of said openings and carried by said stem withinsaid receptacle, each of said valves comprising a disc larger indiameter than the associated opening whereby it is adapted to engagesaid receptacle around that opening when in closing relationshiptherewith, and each of said valves being of flexible, resilient materialadapting it for removal from said receptacle through one of saidopenings, said valves being spaced apart a distance less than thatbetween said openings whereby either valve optionallycan be moved intoclosing relationship with its associated open- `ing as the other ismoved out of closing rela? tionship 'with its associated opening, abacking disc associated with each o f said valves and engaging that facethereof which is farther ,from the associated opening, each of saidbacking discs being substantially rigid and of smaller diameter than oneof said openings, and means accessible outside said receptacle formoving said stem.

ROBERT me HUMBARD.

